On Thursday 13^th October 2016 the Mary Tyndall Centre was opened. The below text is the speech delivered by Anne Sherrard, Head of Learning Support.

When I first arrived at King’s some ten years’ ago now, I was asked to update the Learning Support’s web page. My research of the department very quickly led me to Mary Tyndall and I visited her in Sexey’s Hospital. Over a delightful afternoon tea, she grilled me over the latest teaching techniques as well as my own academic credentials. What was most amazing was to learn that she was helping pupils in the 1950s long before ‘word blindness’ was properly understood. And of course, it would follow that she was one of the first teachers to complete the Dyslexia Institute’s new training in Bath.

It is lovely to see Bill and Sue here today. It is wonderful too to see the former Head of Department Veronica, and Alice along with my colleagues Malcolm and Emma. They have all helped make Learning Support what it is alongside the support of the Headmaster and Governors.

Mary Tyndall would have been thrilled by this department and the fact that now we see Learning Support as the ‘engine room’ where we try to put difficulties right and understand how difficulties can impact on all subjects.

Just look around these walls at the famous names of great scientists, artists, designers, writers, business men and women and it should be quite right that we expect our own pupils to go on to do amazing things. Voice activated software, spell check and  text reading computer programmes, all release the intellect to focus on ideas and to think. This is how we can truly improve academic standards.

Finally, I understand that those first lessons took place in the Blackford House Drawing Room so it is a really wonderful achievement that we are now here in the Mary Tyndall Centre. 

Anne Sherrard - Head of Learning Support